


Keeping Warm

by robinwritesallthethings



Series: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Characters [34]
Category: The Good Wife (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Reader-Insert, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-17
Updated: 2019-11-17
Packaged: 2021-02-08 02:20:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,354
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21468460
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/robinwritesallthethings/pseuds/robinwritesallthethings
Summary: You get the surprise of your life when Jason Crouse returns to keep you warm during a blizzard.
Relationships: Jason Crouse/Reader
Series: Jeffrey Dean Morgan Characters [34]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1933015
Kudos: 8





	Keeping Warm

You pull your jacket tighter around you. The snow is falling fast, coating the streets in a thick blanket of white. It's not supposed to let up at all, either. 

You find your thoughts wandering to Jason Crouse. You wonder how he's doing in California. 

Once again, you wish that he hadn't had to leave so soon. You'd known he would eventually, but you were supposed to have a few more months, at least. 

You met Jason at work when he came looking for information. Technically, you shouldn't have told him anything, but he was so attractive and charming that he was impossible to resist. And nothing you'd told him could hurt anyone, so where was the harm? 

He'd kept coming back, citing you as a valuable source. But it had felt like more than that. You'd wanted it to be more than that. 

You'd had coffee and gone to lunch together a few times, but he had never made a move, and you were too shy to. Plus he'd kept dropping hints about how he didn't like to stay in one place for more than a year. That's how you'd known he would be leaving soon. 

To you, he'd always sounded afraid. Why else would he go out of his way to tell people things that would naturally make them keep their distance? He always acts like everything's easy and simple, but deep down, he must want more. And he has to know that not being alone is never easy or simple. 

You step gratefully into your apartment, then immediately shiver. Tentatively, you flick the switch next to the door, but the light doesn't turn on. Your power must be out, and you doubt it's coming back tonight. It's going to be a long, cold wait until morning. 

At least you have a fireplace. It was one of the features you were most excited about when you rented this unit. Jason had helped you move. He'd offered after you'd conveniently mentioned your relocation in his presence. 

You lock the door behind you, sliding the chain into place, and check all the windows just to be sure they're shut. The last thing you need is more chilly air in here. 

In your bedroom, you slip out of your work clothes and search for something warm to put on. As you open your closet, your eyes automatically go to the top shelf and you reach up to pull the lone item folded there down. 

It's one of Jason's sweaters. He'd accidentally left it after he'd helped you move, and you'd never given it back. You kept telling yourself that you'd intended to, but you always knew better. You pull it over your head, snuggling into its warm folds and smelling the collar. You can still detect the faint scent of his cologne. 

You add leggings and warm socks to your ensemble and head back to the living room to start a fire. You'll curl up in front of it and read for most of the night, you think. That seems like the best option at the moment. 

Before you can get a fire going, though, there's a knock on your door. It's probably one of your neighbors wondering about the power, so you get up to answer it. 

A peek through your peephole makes you gasp in surprise, because Jason Crouse is standing on the other side. For a moment, you just stare at him through the tiny glass lens. He looks thoughtful. He's biting his lip like he's uncertain. 

You quickly unlock the door so you can open it, blushing as you remember too late that you're wearing his sweater. “Hi,” you greet him breathlessly.

His eyes wander over your attire and he smiles suddenly. “Hi.” He holds up two steaming boxes. “I brought pizza.” 

“Yum.” You step to the side so he can get past you. “Come on in before it gets colder. My power is out.” 

“That's why I came,” Jason admits. “I heard it on the news.” 

Your blush deepens at his explanation. “All the way from California?” you wonder lightly, nodding to his hat as he sets the pizza on your kitchen counter. 

“Take a byte out of Silicon Valley!” he laughs, pulling the beanie off and shoving it into his pocket. “I got back a few days ago,” he reveals. “I, uh, well. Let's just say I didn't like it.” He looks across your living room to the fireplace. “Were you going to start a fire?” 

You wrap your arms around yourself and nod, rubbing your shoulders. “Yeah. I'm already cold.” 

“Come on. Let me help with that,” Jason offers.

He grabs the pizza, plates, and napkins, setting everything down by the fireplace. Then he sheds his jacket, draping it over your shoulders as you join him. 

“Thank you.”

You burrow into the warm folds, inhaling his scent again. It's much stronger on the coat. 

“Eat up while it's still warm,” he urges you.

You obey, thrilled when you open the top box and find your favorite toppings. Before long, he has a fire roaring and he's sitting beside you, eating his own pizza. The silence between you is companionable, not uncomfortable. It's like he never left. 

When you're done eating, he puts an arm around you and pulls you close. When you glance at him, he looks troubled again, like he's trying to decide if he should say whatever's on his mind. 

“Penny for your thoughts?” you prompt him, hoping to break through his stoic exterior. 

He sighs and slowly turns to you, pulling his glasses off so he can look into your eyes. He only does that when he's about to say something serious. 

It's strange how much you know about him despite how little you've really been around each other. You tilt your head, smiling softly, trying to seem comforting even though your stomach is doing somersaults as you wait for him to speak. 

When he finally does, he blurts out, “I came back because of you.” 

Your smile widens. He couldn't have said anything you wanted to hear more. 

His eyes brighten a little as he sees your reaction and he runs his hand through his hair. “I try to be carefree and distant, but I guess I'm just as lonely as everybody else,” he murmurs. “I wasn't lying about not liking California. But more than anything, I missed you. I missed your smile and your laugh. And I missed talking to you about space.” He smiles softly, almost to himself. “No one's ever wanted to talk to me about space before.” 

You slip into his lap and put your arms around his neck. He holds you close, clearly anxious for you to respond. 

“Jason, you could have called,” you finally tease.

The tone of your voice and the look on your face make it clear that you're pleased he came back instead. 

“I guess I could have,” he agrees sheepishly, gently tucking a strand of hair behind your ear. “But I wanted to see you.” 

“I'm glad,” you assure him. “I've missed you too, Jason. I've always wanted a chance with you. I just didn't think it was a possibility.” 

“I can figure out how to be happy staying put as long as I have you,” he reveals, knowing what you're referring to without asking. 

“That means so much to me, Jason.” You pull his head down to yours and kiss his cheek soothingly. “But I can be happy anywhere as long as you're with me.” 

“Really?”

You understand why he thought that was an obstacle, but it doesn't matter to you at all. 

“Really. I'll go wherever you'd like. I just want us to be together.” 

He brushes his nose over yours, tipping your chin up with his thumb, his long fingers caressing your neck. “I'd like to try another way to keep you warm tonight,” he whispers. 

Then he's kissing you. His lips move like he's searching, exploring. You whimper, clinging to him tighter. 

The storm rages outside, but inside, there's fire between you. 

You don't think you'll ever be cold again.


End file.
